Seventeen years old and still unmatched. A perfect piece of entertainment. A “thinking-man’s” action film; also a balls-out intense thinking film. Verhoeven’s formula: constant motion. When there isn’t insane, intense, shocking violence there is humor, or mind-fuck dialogue. Seeing this film at the time was a revelation. Truly anything could happen – there were no rules. Even little side characters like lab technicians are unpredictable, cussing people out and slapping them across the face. There might be more “holy shit!”s per capita in this film than any other. (Perhaps even the superior Verhoeven masterpiece Starship Troopers.) Total Recall is essential viewing for anyone interested to see just how intense the art of cinema can get and still be unbelievably fun. Question, though: who chews the scenery better, Ronny Cox or Michael Ironside?
